Don’t worry: No pork products were used in the making of this confection. This no-bake cookie may get its name from its resemblance to the Italian cured sausage, but any similarity is in appearance only: With a base of chocolate ganache akin to a chocolate truffle, chocolate salami is typically chock-full of dried fruit, nuts, and crushed cookies. The mixture is then formed into a log that’s cut into rounds, much like slice-and-bake cookies minus the “bake.” The result is something that’s a little bit like a cookie, a little bit like a candy and very delicious. To complete the salami look, we dredged the logs of dough in confectioners’ sugar. For our recipe, we liked the combination of tart dried cherries, which we macerated in Grand Marnier for extra flavor, and rich pistachios. We used dried ladyfingers as the cookie component, although any dry, biscuit-like cookie will work. We found that chocolate chips worked better than bar chocolate here; they made a smooth mixture that was easy to mold. The result is an exquisite, unique cookie that’s deceptively simple to make.
Ingredients
- ½cup dried cherries, chopped coarse
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
- 4 ounces dried ladyfingers (savoiardi), cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- Pinch salt
- ⅔ cup pistachios, toasted
- ½ cup (2 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
- Combine cherries and Grand Marnier in small bowl and microwave until hot, about 30 seconds; let sit until cherries have softened and mixture is cool, about 15 minutes. Set aside 1 cup ladyfingers. Process remaining ladyfingers in food processor to fine crumbs, 15 to 20 seconds. (You should have about ¾ cup crumbs.)
- Microwave chocolate chips and cream in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Add salt and ladyfinger crumbs and stir to combine. Add pistachios, reserved ladyfingers, and cherry mixture and stir until thick dough forms.
- Transfer dough to counter. Divide dough in half and place each half on large sheet of plastic wrap. Use plastic to roll each dough half into tight 6-inch log, twisting ends well to secure. Refrigerate logs until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.
- When ready to serve, spread confectioners’ sugar in shallow dish. Unwrap logs and roll in sugar until well coated, brushing off excess. Cut each log into ½-inch-thick slices and serve.
